Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



F. VETTERLIN. Breech 'Loading Fire Arm.

No. 109,277. Patented Nov. 15, 1870.

- *seL efe Fe timidi iata anni ditta.

FREDERICK VETTERLIN, OF NEUHAUSEN, SWITZERLND.

Letters Patent No. 109,277, dated November 15, 1870 antedated November11, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To'all whom it may concern:

Be it known lthat I, FREDERICK VETTERLIN, of Neuhausen, in the Canton ofSchaihausen, Switzerland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Breech-loading Fire-Arms; and I do hereby. declare thatthe-followingis a full, clear, and exact. description of thesame,reference being had to the accompanying drawings making a portion ofthis specification, in `which-- vin the line :z: :v of iig. l.

' forward to its Figure 5 is a transverse section, taken in the line y yof fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

.Lhis invention consists in the arrangement of an extractor, formed withan elastic extension, within a groove provided in the upper side of thebreech-piece, andin such relation with a suitable covering-plate as notonly to secure the retention of the extractor in its v place, but,furthermore, to insure the most eii'ective operation of such extractorin withdrawing the cartridgeshell from the barrel.

To enable others to understand the construction and operation of myinvention, I will proceed to describe it, with reference to thedrawings.

The breech-receiver A has the barrel B screwed into its forward end, andis secured in any suitable manner to the stock G.

The interior of this breech-receiver is of circular or cylindrical form,and has an opening, Ai, provided in the upper side of its forwardportion, through which the cartridge is introduced prepara-tory to beingforced place in thc barrel, as hereinafter fully explained. y

The breech-receiver is open at its rear end, to permit the extensiontherethrough of certain parts, hereinafter presently described, of thebreech-closing mechanism, and adjacent to such rear end is chamber-cd orenlarged, as shown at Bi, there being inrear of s uch enlargement anydesired number, but preferably tlircc, of lugs, a, the forward endsurfaces of which are situ-' ated in planes at right angles ,to the axisof the barrel and breech-receiver, and constitute thc recoil-bearings ofthe breech-piece C.

This breech-piece G is of cylindrical form to fit the breech-receiver,and has its rearmost portion reduced in size :behind the shoulders b, inorder to permit a sleeve 01 collar, D, to be fitted thereon, the collarbeing loosely screwed at its rear end upon the corresponding end of thebreech-piece, in-such manner as to be retained in place thereon, and atthe same time be capable of being turned around upon the same.

Firmly secured upon the rear portion of the collar D is alaterally-extending lever, E, by means ofwhich the turning movement justmentioned is effected.

The collar D is, furthermore, provided at its forward end with radialears, o,` the rearl surfaces of which are square with the axis of thebreech-piece, so that, when the latter is pushed forward to close thebreech, and the lever E is turned downward to bring the earscimmediately in front of the lugs a, the breech-piece'will be locked inplace' and supported against any force, as, for instance, that of theexplosion in firing, exerted to drive it or move it back, whilebyturning the lever upward, to bring cars c opposite to or in line withthe spaces between thc lugs a, the breech-piece may be drawn back tounclose the breech, the ears passing through the spaces just indicatedin such backward movement of the breech-piece.

The iiring-pin, shown at G, is tted into an axial bole formed within andextending thc whole length of the breech-piece, the rearmost end of theijring-pin heilig made of rectangular or equivalent form in its4cross-section, and fitting through a hole or slot, of

corresponding form, provided in a cap, Oi, screwed upon the rcarmost endof the collar D, in such manner that the turning movement of the collarin either direction will be imparted to the pin, without intel'- ferenccwith the longitudinal movement requisite to the latter.

lhc firing-pin is furthermore provided withalateral spur, f, the forwardsurface of which is inclined, andthe adjacent side of the rear end ofthe breechpiece is notched in such manncrthat an inclined plane, g, isformed thereon, the arrangement being such that, when the collar l),together with the firing-pin, are turned preparatory to the backwardmovement of the breech-block, as just hereinbefore explained, theinclined surface of thc spur f beingA acted upon by thev inclined planeg on` the breech-piece, the firing-pin is forced back until the forwardend thereof. is brought inward beyond thel face of the breech-piece, andthe spur f is brought past the rear extremity of the breechpiece in suchmanner as to prevent the firing-pin from moving forward in case thehammer H should, lfrom any cause, descend upon thc same when the collaris thus turned tounlock the 'breech-piece.

.When the collar is brought to its first position to lock thebreech-piece in its place the notch or inclined plane y is, of course,brought in such relation with the spur f as to permit the forwardmovement of the firingpin to ignite the charge when acted upon bv thehammer.

Provided in the upper side of the breech-piece is a The forward end ofthe extractor constitutes a hook, l

n, projecting beyond the face of the breech-piece, and

, the cfee of which is to catch upon the tlanch or rim of thecartridge-shell, to extractl the latter when the 'breech is opened.

Extending'back from the rear end ot' the extractor is a spring orelastic extension, 0'; and secured by suitable screws in the moreshallow portion of the groove onf, and projecting brward over theextension just mentioned is a plate, s, which serves to hold theextractor in its place. p

This platesis furthermore provided with a shoulder, u, which, bystriking at the rear end of the open ing A* when the, breech-piece isdrawn back, limits the extent of such movement.- j l When thebreech-picce is pushed to close the breech the elastic extension rallows the hook of the extractor to pass over and catch uponv the anchof the cartridge-shell, so that, when the breech-piece is drawn back inopening the breech, the shell will be pulled back therewith until,striking against a fixed stud, u, provided in the bot-tom of thebreech-receiver, it is tilted upward and thrown out from the latter,whereupon a cartridge being dropped into the receiver in front of thebreech-piece, the forward movement of such piece drives lthe cartridgeto its place in the barrel; and the breech-piece being locked by theturning movement of its collar, as hereinbefore explained, theloading'ot` the arm is complete, it being only necessary to pull thetrigger in order to fire the arm, the hammer having been brought to theposition of full-cock Witnesses -P'AUL OTTO,

V. SAUERBREW.

